Echo of the Spheres
by ark the wanderer
Summary: A collection of stories that are inspired by songs. Not necessarily songfics. Revolves mostly around Harry/Ginny and Ron/Hermione. Neville, Luna, the Weasleys, and NextGen will most probably be involved too, if I get the right inspiration. Please review.
1. Sky

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_There's music in the sighing of a reed;  
There's music in the gushing of a rill;  
There's music in all things, if men had ears:  
Their earth is but an echo of the spheres.  
~Lord Byron_

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**AN:** As I've said in the summary, this is a collection of stories that are inspired by songs. They're not necessarily songfics. That is, I won't necessarily use the whole song. There will be other fics where I'll just use a few lines as basis for my story. I've been wanting to write something like this for a while, but none of the stories I've thought of before this one seem appropriate as a starting fic.

This first one is a song fic and it's in two parts. It involves my two favorite couples--the two couples whose individuals, I firmly believe, should not be paired off with other people. Well, I won't say anymore. Please review guys. I would really appreciate it.

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"I'm sorry, Harry," she said, her eyes resting on everywhere but his.

"Why?" he demanded angrily.

But he wasn't angry at her, not really. He was irritated that she couldn't look at him. He was devastated that she wanted to end things between them. He was confused about her decision, he thought she was happy. She never gave any indication otherwise. He was angry at the fact that she had ambushed him with it, but he wasn't angry _at her_. And he was angry that he couldn't be angry with her. He should be, after what she just did.

"Look at me, Ginny," he said, trying to put anger instead of hurt in his voice.

She finally met his gaze. She hardly ever cried but she was crying now. Tears were streaming down her eyes and she was doing nothing to stop them. He'd never seen her look so miserable, and sorry, and guilty.

"I love him," she said. "I'm sorry."

She said something else, but he couldn't hear her words over his own breaking heart. He knew she was sorry, he knew she didn't mean it to happen. But it happened, and "sorry" isn't ever going to make him whole again. His world darkened.

_I woke, dreaming we had broke  
__Dreaming you left me  
__For someone new  
__And you cried, drying those brown eyes  
__Crying you're sorry  
__Sorry won't do, but_

Ginny woke up, finding herself halfway out of the bed. She rolled over and came face to face with Harry's sleeping form. She grinned. She loved waking up to him. Sometimes, she'd go to sleep excited about waking up because she knew he would be right there beside her when she does.

A few years ago, when Harry left to hunt for the Horcruxes, she was convinced that she had lost him. She had feared that he would find someone else. She realized now how irrational those fears were. Harry never left her, not really. They might not have been together for the greater part of that year, but they loved each other. And they love each other still.

She is probably the luckiest woman in the world right now. Voldemort's gone, everyone's finally starting to move on, she has the best job in the world, and she is living with the only man she could ever fall in love with. And he loves her too. He had saved her life more than once and he always makes sure to make her happy everyday for the rest of it. She really couldn't be happier.

_He_ didn't look too happy at the moment though. It seemed to her that he was having a bad dream. She ran her hand through his hair then let it rest on his cheek. She lay there facing him, waiting for him to wake up, knowing that he loved waking up to her too. Whatever bad dream he might be having, she hoped that she could take it away. She wanted to make him as happy as he had made her.

_This is the way I need to wake  
__I wake to you  
__And you never left me,  
__All that I'd dreamt had been untrue_

He didn't open his eyes when he came to, fearing whatever it is that he would be facing. He wondered if she had already left, or if she had stayed to look after him. He didn't know which was worse. He didn't think he could take it if she was finally gone, but he didn't think he could bear gazing into her eyes either, knowing that their loving looks won't be for him anymore.

Something was off though. He wasn't lying on the hard floor as he'd expected. He was on a bed, a very soft bed. There was a pillow under his head. And he could smell her. He opened his eyes and saw her, just inches away from him. Her hand was on his cheek and she was wearing that loving smile, the one he'd like to call his own. Blood started rushing back to his head, allowing him to think clearly.

It had all been a dream! He grinned widely as the realization hit him. The hand that had been tightly squeezing his heart finally let go and he breathe an enormous sigh of relief. He felt like he had died and gone to heaven.

_Open my eyes, I see sky_

His eyes fluttered open and focused on her. He looked confused. She guessed that whatever he had been dreaming about was still gripping him. She waited for him to come back to reality, not taking her hand off his face. A few seconds later, he smiled at her with the smile that she'd like to think was for her alone.

He let out a contented sigh then surprised her by suddenly taking her hand in his and closing the gap between them. He kissed her full on the lips then wrapped his arms tightly around her, as though fearing that she might disappear if he let go.

He broke the hug after a while. He looked at her like he was drinking in everything he could see about her. She gave him a bemused smile.

"Are you alright?" she asked.

_Oh, oh, oh… you know  
__The way to keep me on my toes_

He chuckled at the irony of her question after what he'd been dreaming.

"I'm fine," he replied. "I couldn't be finer, really. I'm great!"

He really couldn't be happier. But then, his dream returned to him, intruding into his happy reality. He knew it would never happen, but he couldn't help it. He just had to make sure.

"Ginny, please promise me you'll never leave me," he said seriously.

"What?" she asked, her expression a mixture of bemusement and incredulity. "What's this about?"

"Please… promise me," he said again. He looked pleadingly into her brown eyes, her stunning brown eyes that he was always in danger of sinking into.

"Harry, I will never leave you," she told him. "I promise."

Her voice was firm but gentle. She was looking tenderly at him and he realized then that her loving eyes and her beautiful smile will never belong to another guy.

"I'm fine," he said again, grinning happily at her.

_I, I, I… will be fine  
__Just say you'll stay forever mine  
__Till we fall asleep tonight_

***************************************************************

Ron knocked lightly on his and Hermione's bedroom door then opened it without waiting for a reply. She was lying on the bed, her back to him. He assumed that she was already asleep. It's just as well, they just had a fight and though he wanted for them to make up, he still didn't know what to say to her. He walked towards the bed then stopped in his tracks as Hermione turned to face him. Her expression was unreadable but he knew she wanted an explanation as to why he was in there.

"I'll just get my pillow," he told her, his tone as impassive as her expression. "I'm going to sleep in the couch."

"Yeah, okay," she said, still gazing at him.

He broke the gaze and went to get his pillow, then turned to walk out of the room.

"Ron," she called softly.

He turned back to face her with an expectant feeling bubbling inside his stomach.

"You forgot your blanket," she said.

"Oh, right," he said, trying to keep the disappointment from his voice. He took his blanket and walked out of the room, this time without Hermione calling softly after him.

It took him a while to finally fall asleep. The couch was uncomfortable, not to mention too small for him. The living room's temperature didn't feel right. It was a bit too warm without the blanket but a bit too cold if he didn't use it. Most of all, she wasn't sleeping next to him. There was something about the rhythm of her breathing that soothed him and put him to sleep. Sleep came to him more than an hour after midnight, and it wasn't a peaceful one.

_Last night, we had a great fight  
__I fell asleep in  
__A horrible state_

Sleep didn't stay too long with him though. It might have only been a few minutes after he drifted off when someone started shaking him awake. He opened his eyes and saw her standing over him. He sat up as she took a step backwards and sat on the small table. She was wearing a miserable expression and she looked like she was about to cry.

"Hermione, what's wrong?" he asked her softly. It hurt him to see her so unhappy.

"Ron, there's something I have to tell you," she said in a tone that made him think someone had just died.

"What is it?" he asked worriedly.

She looked down at her shoes and chewed on her lips for a while. He waited for her to find her voice. "There's really no other way to say this," she finally said, her eyes still on the floor. Then, she looked up at him, her brown eyes meeting his. "I'm in love with Harry."

Ron felt all breath escape out of him. He felt his heart stop. He felt like he didn't have a heart to begin with. His arms and legs were shaking and he felt dizzy. He might have thrown up, but he didn't think it was possible. He didn't think he had a stomach. He didn't think he had anything inside his body anymore. He felt hollow. He felt like a Bludger just hit him on the chest. He felt his heart, wherever it was, being squeezed until it burst. He felt a million different things and none of them were good. He couldn't move. He didn't even have the energy to ask her how it happened.

"I'll just sleep in the bedroom for now," she said gently after a while when it was clear that he wouldn't talk. "I'll get my stuff and move out tomorrow."

She stood up and walked away. He wanted to stop her. He wanted to scream at the top of his lungs. He wanted to demand _why_ she was doing it to him. He wanted to know how it happened. He wanted to ask how she let it happen. He wanted to follow her and hold her arms and stop her from going. He wanted to _beg_ her to stay. But he couldn't do any of those things. He couldn't even turn his head to watch her retreating back. He had lost control of his body. Her words had taken all the energy out of him.

_Then dreamt that you loved my best friend  
__My heart would not mend  
__Seemed it was fate, but_

Sunlight flooded in through the window and shone brightly on his eyes, waking him up. He sat up and looked around him, feeling slightly disoriented. He brought his hand to his eyes to rub the sleep away from them and felt wet tears on them.

Was he crying? He tried to remember what happened last night. He and Hermione had a fight, that explained why he was sleeping on the couch. Then he remembered being woken up in the middle of the night. She'd told him that she loved Harry. But that was just a dream, wasn't it? He couldn't be sure, it seemed so real. He shook his head, trying to drive all the confusion away. He didn't know where reality ended and his dreams began.

He stood up and headed for their bedroom. He wanted to see her, wanted to know whether he'd been dreaming. Somewhere deep inside his head, the rational part of his brain screamed at him that it couldn't be possible. Harry was very much in love with Ginny, Hermione loved Harry like a brother, and neither of them would never, ever betray him. But the part of his mind that was controlling him right now, the part that was stupid and crazy and caused him many disagreements with her, told him that it might have been real and he just had to make sure.

He opened the door to their bedroom intending to ask her right away about last night, but she was still sleeping when he got in. Looking at her calmed him and he closed the door softly, not wanting to wake her up. He stood over her for a while, wondering what he should do. He didn't want to wake her, she'd been so tired lately because of all her projects in the Ministry. He wanted to sleep beside her, but he didn't know whether she wanted him to. He still had that fear that everything that had happened had been real. He contented himself with sitting on the floor near her. He put his arms up on the bed and rested his head on them, waiting for her to wake up. He hadn't gotten enough sleep himself, however, and minutes later, he had drifted off in that position.

Hermione opened her eyes and saw Ron sitting on the floor with his head resting on their bed. She smiled at his sleeping form. She'd started getting used to sleeping near him years ago, even before they were together. When they'd been hunting Horcruxes, they always slept close to each other. Having him around always made her feel calmer, made her feel that there was at least one good thing in the world at that moment. Her heart broke when he fought with Harry and left them, left her. Every night since then, she'd cried herself to sleep until he finally came back. She'd slept soundly on his first night back, forgetting for a moment about everything that was going on around them. She was just happy that he was close to her again, his steady breathing putting her to sleep.

Last night, she didn't want to go to sleep thinking that he won't be there when she woke up. She had an irrational fear that their fight had made him leave again. But of course, as all irrational fears are bound to be, it never happened. Looking at him sleeping right there beside her made her realize that it would never happen. Whatever she might have done in her life, she knew she must have done something good because she was with Ron, her best friend and the only man she ever loved. And she knew he loved her too.

She smiled and silently thanked whoever (or whatever) it was that controlled their destiny. She ran her hand through his hair, wanting for him to wake up and look at her with those beautiful blue eyes.

_This is the way I need to wake  
__I wake to you  
__And you never left me,  
__All that I'd dreamt had been untrue_

Ron woke up but remained to shut his eyes, allowing himself a moment to enjoy the feeling of Hermione's hand through his hair. He opened his eyes a second later and saw her smiling lovingly at him. Then, just like that, all his doubts disappeared into thin air. Of course it had all been a dream! He couldn't believe how stupid he'd been a minute ago.

He smiled happily at her, knowing right then that his life couldn't be better. He had made many mistakes when he was younger but he knew that he must have done something right because she was right there in front of him. She was smiling at him, her beautiful brown eyes directed lovingly at his. He was probably the luckiest man in the world. He was in love with his best friend, and she loved him back too. He could be in heaven and he wouldn't know the difference.

_Open my eyes I see sky_

He smiled at her the moment he opened his eyes. She stared back at him, allowing herself to drown in his blue eyes that showed nothing but his love. They stayed that way for a while and she thought then that they could go on that way forever and she wouldn't mind.

Suddenly, however, he broke eye contact and lunged at her. He wrapped his arms around her and buried his head in her hair.

"Hermione, I'm so sorry," he said, his voice muffled. "I'm sorry I snapped last night, I should have been more understanding. I just," he broke their hug and looked straight into her eyes and she felt herself drowning in his, "I just wanted to be with you."

Tears threatened to fall from her eyes. When they'd been younger, he never expected him to be so sweet. But now, he always made sure to show her everyday how much he loved her. It was the least she could do to keep to their date night.

"No Ron, _I'm_ sorry," she said sincerely. "I shouldn't have agreed to that meeting last night. Will you forgive me?"

"Of course," he said surely. "I forgave you yesterday."

_Oh, oh, oh… you know  
__The way to keep me on my toes_

"So we're okay?" she asked.

"We're fine," he said half-jokingly, remembering the lyrics to one of her favorite Muggle songs. And he was fine. Great, actually. He'd been in love with her since they were in second year and she was in love with him too. And that was all that ever mattered.

_I, I, I… will be fine  
__Just say you'll stay forever mine  
__Till we fall asleep tonight_

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**AN:** The song is "Sky" by Joshua Radin and Ingrid Michaelson. I strongly suggest listening to it. And if you haven't heard of Joshua Radin, I recommend checking out his songs. Listen to "Don't Look Away", it's a great song, my favorite among his songs, actually.

Please review everyone.


	2. For Fred

George opened his eyes to a still dark room and turned to look at the clock on the bedside table. It blinked 4:34 in bright red lights. His eyes fell on the date, and he suddenly wished they hadn't. For a moment, he had forgotten what today was, but the calendar reminded him. His hopes of going back to sleep vanished, knowing he won't be able to. He stood up and headed for the bathroom.

He took a shower, cleaning his hair, his face, his one ear, and the rest of his body slowly, deliberately. He wanted to concentrate on the task. He didn't want his mind to stray elsewhere. About half an hour later, he finished bathing. He got out of the tub and faced the mirror. It was foggy from the steam. He wiped the mirror with one hand and saw a face that was not his. It belonged to his twin brother, who looked so much like him. He blinked, trying to get out of his hallucination, but Fred's face remained, two ears and all. He had to blink again, twice, for the face in the mirror to become his. He stood there for a long time, not knowing what to think, trying not to feel anything.

It was already a quarter to six by the time he got out of the bathroom. He sat on his bed and looked out the window, into the streets of Diagon Alley. It was so peaceful now, with neither a person in sight nor a sound to be heard. He knew, however, that by the time the huge clock on Gringott's façade struck seven, the celebrations would begin. He saw no reason for it though, it will never be a happy day for him. Tears threatened to fall from his eyes, and it would have, if Ron hadn't chosen that moment to barge into his room.

"George!" shouted Ron. George closed his eyes, praying for patience. Ron always had the worst timing. Ron's next statement, however, drove away all his anger for being interrupted in his contemplations.

"Fleur's in labor," said Ron, just as loudly. "Dad just came here. They're already in St. Mungo's. We have to go now."

George immediately stood up and took his jacket. Together, he and Ron walked out of his room and headed for the fireplace.

"I can't believe I'm going to be an uncle," George said excitedly.

"Yeah," was all Ron had said. George chuckled, his brother was never that fond of babies.

"And to a _part veela_," he pointed out. He waited for Ron to continue his statement, but realized he couldn't. "I'm going to get filthy rich from the bribes of her future suitors," he added himself.

**

The sun was already hiding behind the mountains as George walked towards his twin's grave. The sky looked orange in one part, purple in one, and green still in another. Somehow, it reflected the turbulence of his feelings. He stopped a couple feet short from the tombstone.

_Fred Fabian Weasley_, it read. And below it, in smaller writings, _Son, Brother, Friend_. And below that, in larger writings than the one above it, _Mischief Managed_.

George smiled sadly. Fred had once told him that when he died, he wanted those words written on his tombstone. It had only been aimless conversation then, death was just some foreign concept to be talked lightly about. It didn't happen, not to them at least. Not to Fred. A strong, imaginary hand gripped his heart, constricting it so that he could barely breathe, but he knew it was just the beginning.

"Hi bro," he managed to say after a few minutes. "Must be fun out there, huh? In heaven."

George never really believed heaven, but after Fred's death, he started to. It had to be real. He had to know that Fred was still out there somewhere, happy, and planning pranks for the two of them to make once he got there.

"Bill's daughter was born this morning. She's really… small. Remember our plan to rip off the future suitors of Bill and Fleur's daughter?" he chuckled, not missing the irony of everything that had happened. "I think I'll go through with that," he said jokingly. "She certainly has her mother's charms…"

"They held an anniversary event this afternoon," he continued. "It was both to celebrate our victory and to honor the—the fallen," his voice cracked at this point. "They talked about you, how great you were, how bravely you fought. They even have a plaque for you, did you know. Mum gave it to me. I didn't want to accept it, but she looked like she was going to cry if I didn't…."

George stopped. Tears had started running down his cheeks and he felt his heart squeezed so tightly that he couldn't breathe at all. Somehow, he felt both empty and heavy. He took a few minutes to compose himself.

"I think that was stupid," he continued as though he never stopped. "I told them they should talk about how we released all those fireworks in our seventh year…."

He paused again. He was having trouble composing himself now. His knees felt weak. He sat on the ground in front of the tombstone, unmindful of the dirt.

"I don't get it. I don't get it at all!"

He stopped again. The pause was much longer this time. He brought a hand up to his eyes to dry the tears that never stopped coming.

"To be honest, I haven't done anything worthwhile this past year," he said. His voice was even again, and his eyes dry. "Ron's been the one who's really working on the shop. He's been really helpful. I don't know how to thank him. I wished him a really happy life with Hermione on my birthday though, I hope that was enough…. I wanted to wish Ginny a happy life too, she'd been the one I held on to during the first few months…. I only get one wish though, so I used up yours. I know you don't mind, it's what you would have wanted too. She's our favorite sister after all," he chuckled at this statement. It had been a running joke between them.

"McGonagall said something about living for the one's we've lost," he continued. His voice started to crack again and he took a moment to calm himself. "She was right. I've been doing nothing this past year. But I'll change that now. I'll take care of the shop, I'll make new products, I'll open a branch at Hogsmeade…. I'm now going to live my life for you too, Fred. For both of us…."

_It's been a year now since you were here now  
__And I've been trying to heal inside  
__Dedications have all been placed  
__And I see your resemblance in my face  
__And on our birthday, I said an extra wish for you_

_And I have learned so much since you've been gone  
__And I have done so little for so long  
__So now I'll settle up my grievances and focus on the savory  
__And wave all these discrepancies away  
__And I'll figure out these misconceptions  
__Give out faith at my discretion  
__Live a life that you would think was sane_

_Display and changes that they have made  
__And I wonder if you ever really wanted it this way  
__And in your memory, they even hung a plaque for you_

_And I have learned so much since you've been gone  
__And I have done so little for so long  
__So now I'll settle up my grievances and focus on the savory  
__And wave all these discrepancies away  
__And I'll figure out these misconceptions  
__Give out faith at my discretion  
__Live a life that you would think was sane_

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**AN:** The song is 'For Justin' by Dashboard Confessional. A few weeks before Deathly Hallows, I and a group of friends were talking about our predictions. I told them that I really don't want the twins to die, or even just one of them. It would be so awful. One of my friends told me to listen to this song, she said it would be really appropriate if just one of them died. And it is. Now, everytime I hear this song, I can't help but think of Fred and George. I wouldn't know what it's like to lose a twin, but I imagine it's like being cut in half, only worse. Much, much worse.

I would never get over Fred dying and part of the reason is because George got left behind... Anyway I wrote this fic for Fred and for George. I hope it's good enough. I've never written in George's POV, nor have I lost someone, so I'm not sure if I got this right. I could really use some feedback.

A toast to Fred and George, guys...


	3. Forever Young

**Disclaimer:** I do not own anything.

**AN:** This fic is not so much a story as it is a montage. Kind of like those clips in YouTube where people pick scenes from a favorite TV series and put music over them, only it's in writing... Please give it a chance though.

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_**May the good lord be with you down every road you roam**_

James rose from his bed and looked sleepily around him. Slits of sunlight flooded through the scarlet drapes, illuminating the room in a soft, golden glow. He looked around at Lily, who was still fast asleep. She was smiling peacefully. Her dark red hair was all about her, some covered her beautiful face. James smiled lovingly at her and brushed the hair on her face out of the way. He bent down and kissed her gently on the forehead.

He stood over her for a few minutes, just staring at her, taking in everything about her. They've been married for three years now and he still had a crush on her. Sometimes, he couldn't believe that she actually loved him, and even bore his child. The thought made him smile wider. He took his eyes from his beautiful wife and walked out of their room, heading for Harry's.

James opened Harry's room and peered into it. He couldn't see his son from where he was standing, but James knew he was in his crib. He entered the room and approached the crib, and there, he saw his son, awake and wide-eyed.

Baby Harry smiled when he saw his father standing over him. His eyes, which were starting to become as emerald green as his mother's, were alit with happy innocence. He was such a beautiful boy. When James fell in love with Lily, he didn't think he could love someone else with as much capacity. But his heart changed when he held his baby boy for the first time, he knew right then that he would happily give his life for his son.

"Hello baby," James said softly. Baby Harry giggled at his voice. James smiled widely at him. "How long have you been awake? You weren't crying… you've been a good boy, haven't you? You know Mum's been really tired lately… is that why you weren't crying?"

James scratched his son's tummy gently. "Oh, you're such a good boy, like your Dad…"

_**And may sunshine and happiness surround you when you're far from home**_

James cocked his head and gazed at his son. He really did have his mother's eyes.

"But maybe more like your Mum," he continued. "You'll be as kind and as compassionate as she is, and people will love you, and you'll have a lot of friends. Real friends. And you'll have a lot of happy times with them…."

*

_The rest of the final term passed in a haze of blazing sunshine. Hogwarts was back to normal with only a few, small differences—Defense Against the Dark Arts classes were cancelled ("but we've had plenty of practice at that anyway," Ron told a disgruntled Hermione) and Lucius Malfoy had been sacked as a school governor. Draco was no longer strutting around the school like he owned the place. On the contrary, he looked resentful and sulky. On the other hand, Ginny Weasley was perfectly happy again._

_Too soon, it was time for the journey home on the Hogwarts Express. Harry, Ron, Hermione, Fred, George, and Ginny got a compartment to themselves. They made the most of the last few hours in which they were allowed to do magic before the holidays. They played Exploding Snap, set off the very last of Fred and George's Filibuster fireworks, and practiced disarming each other by magic. Harry was getting very good at it._

_They were almost at King's Cross when Harry remembered something._

"_Ginny—what did you see Percy doing, that he didn't want you to tell anyone?"_

"_Oh, that," said Ginny, giggling. "Well—Percy's got a _girlfriend_."_

_Fred dropped a stack of books on George's head._

"What_?"_

"_It's that Ravenclaw prefect, Penelope Clearwater," said Ginny. "That's who he was writing to all last summer. He's been meeting her all over the school in secret. I walked in on them _kissing_ in an empty classroom one day. He was so upset when she was—you know—attacked. You won't tease him, will you?" she added anxiously._

"_Wouldn't dream of it," said Fred, who was looking like his birthday had come early._

"_Definitely not," said George, sniggering._

_**And may you grow to be proud, dignified and true**_

"And you're going to be very loyal to them, won't you?"

Harry started to coo.

"You'll be very loyal to those who love you," continued James. "And not only that, you'll stick to your principles, just like a true Gryffindor. You won't be swayed easily, no you won't…. You know why? 'Cause you're my boy...."

*

"_What is Dumbledore up to?" said Scrimgeour brusquely. "Where does he go when he is absent from Hogwarts?"_

"_No idea," said Harry._

"_And you wouldn't tell me if you knew," said Scrimgeour," would you?"_

"_No, I wouldn't," said Harry._

"_Well, then, I shall have to see whether I can't find out by other means."_

"_You can try," said Harry indifferently. "But you seem cleverer than Fudge, so I'd have thought you'd have learned from his mistakes. He tried interfering at Hogwarts. You might have noticed he's not Minister anymore, but Dumbledore's still headmaster. I'd leave Dumbledore alone, if I were you."_

_There was a long pause._

"_Well, it is clear to me that he has done a very good job on you," said Scrimgeour, his eyes cold and hard behind his wire-rimmed glasses. "Dumbledore's man through and through, aren't you, Potter?"_

"_Yeah, I am," said Harry. "Glad we straightened that out."_

_**And do unto others as you'd have done to you**_

"He's _our_ boy, James," said Lily.

James turned around and saw her standing by the doorway, smiling lovingly at him and their son.

"How long have you been standing there?" he asked.

"Enough to hear you _lying_ to him about you being a good boy," she said lightly. James knew she was joking. He smiled at her, beckoning for her to come forward.

Lily left her post by the door and walked towards James and baby Harry. She gave James a light peck on the lips as he wrapped an arm around her waist. Together, they turned to face their son. Baby Harry started screaming in mirth as he saw his mother, his eyes a perfect mirror of hers.

"Hi honey," Lily said softly. She bent down and kissed her little boy, making him laugh even harder. "You're father was right though, wasn't he? You're going to be a really good boy, and you'll have true friends, and you'll stand by what you believe in. But most importantly, you'll be kind, won't you? Unlike your father," she added jokingly.

James gave her a wry smile. "You just couldn't help yourself, couldn't you?"

Lily smiled sweetly at him then returned to their son. "You'll be kind, and you won't harm anyone, and you'll make sure that no one gets harmed. No, I know you won't stand for that kind of stuff—"

"Kind and compassionate," James said again, "just like your mother."

Lily turned to him, and he leaned in for a kiss. Harry looked at them and started laughing again.

*

_Black and Lupin stood shoulder to shoulder, wands raise._

"_You should have realized," said Lupin quietly, "if Voldemort didn't kill you, we would. Good-bye, Peter."_

_Hermione covered her face with her hands and turned to the wall._

"_NO!" Harry yelled. He ran forward, placing himself in front of Pettigrew, facing the wands. "You can't kill him," he said breathlessly. "You can't."_

_Black and Lupin both look staggered._

"_Harry, this piece of vermin is the reason you have no parents," Black snarled. "This cringing bit of filth would have seen you die too, without turning a hair. You hear him. His own stinking skin meant more to him than your whole family."_

"_I know," Harry panted. "We'll take him up to the castle. We'll hand him over to the dementors…. He can go to Azkaban…but don't kill him."_

_**Be courageous and be brave**_

"Oh, don't forget Lils," James continued as they broke from the kiss, "he's going to be brave."

He turned back to Harry.

"Won't you, my dear boy?" said James. "You'll be bold, and fearless, and daring—you'll have the heart of a lion. Just like any old Gryffindor…."

"Just like your father," Lily said softly.

*

_Voldemort raised his wand, but this time Harry was ready; with the reflexes born of his Quidditch training, he flung himself sideways onto the ground; he rolled behind the marble headstone of Voldermort's father, and he heard it crack as the curse missed him._

"_we are not playing hide-and-seek, Harry," said Voldemort's soft, cold voice, drawing nearer, as the Death Eaters laughed. "You cannot hide from me. Does this mean you are tired of our duel? Does this mean that you would prefer me to finish it now, Harry? Come out, Harry…come out and play, then…it will be quick…it might even be painless…I would not know…I have never died…."_

_Harry crouched behind the headstone and knew the end had come. There was no hope…no help to be had. And as he heard Voldemort draw nearer still, he knew one thing only, and it was beyond fear or reason: He was not going to die crouching here like a child playing hide-and-seek; he was not going to die kneeling at Voldemort's feet…he was going to die upright like his father, and he was going to die trying to defend himself, even if no defense was possible…._

_Before Voldemort could stick his snakelike face around the headstone, Harry stood up…he gripped his wand tightly in his hand, thrust it out in front of him, and threw himself around the headstone, facing Voldemort._

_**And in my heart you'll always stay**_

_**Forever young**_

James and Lily looked at each other, smiling, then turned once again to their baby boy.

"But no matter what happens," said Lily, "you'll always be my baby boy—_our_ baby boy."

_**May good fortune be with you, **_

_**May your guiding light be strong**_

Harry laughed at his parents again. James and Lily smiled lovingly at him. She picked him up and held him close. James faced them, his beautiful wife and his beautiful baby boy. Not for the first time, James realized how very like his mother's Harry's eyes were.

"But he won't only be brave, Lily," said James. "He will also be good, and he will use his talent and his bravery for the right causes."

James turned to his son, who was staring curiously at him with those eyes he loved so much.

"You'll have a strong inner compass, won't you?" he told his son. "Better than your father ever had. And you will loathe the Dark Arts too, yes you will," he added, nodding solemnly. "The Dark Arts are _bad_, Harry. That's why it's called 'dark'."

*

"…_now… why don't you give me that Stone in your pocket?"_

_So he knew. The feeling suddenly surged back into Harry's legs. He stumbled backwards._

"_Don't be a fool," snarled the face. "Better save your own life and join me…or you'll meet the same end as your parents….They died begging me for mercy…."_

"_LIAR!" Harry shouted suddenly._

_Quirrell was walking backwards at him, so that Voldemort could still see him. The evil face was now smiling._

"_How touching…" it hissed. "I always value bravery…. Yes, boy, your parents were brave…. I killed your father first, and he put up a courageous fight…but your mother needn't have died…she was trying to protect you…. Now give me the Stone, unless you want her to have died in vain."_

"_NEVER!"_

_**Build a stairway to heaven with a prince or a vagabond**_

"James, don't make a joke out of this," said Lily, half-amused, half-exasperated.

"Oh, right, sorry," said James, not sounding sorry at all. "Where were we?"

"Strong inner compass," replied Lily.

"Hmm…so, what else?" James asked thoughtfully. As far as he knew, he had hoped everything good for his son, but he might have missed something. He looked at his wife, she was frowning slightly, deep in thought.

"He won't discriminate," Lily said firmly after a while. "He won't judge by blood, or appearance, or wealth. He will choose his friends not because of what they are, but because of who they are…."

*

…_the woman didn't have Mars Bars. What she did have were Bertie Bott's Every Flavor Beans, Drooble's Best Blowing Gum, Chocolate Frogs, Pumpkin Pasties, Cauldron Cakes, Licorice Wands, and a number of other strange things Harry had never seen in his life. Not wanting to miss anything, he got some of everything and paid the woman eleven silver Sickles and seven bronze Knuts._

_Ron stared as Harry brought it all back in to the compartment and tipped it onto an empty seat._

"_Hungry, are you?"_

"_Starving," said Harry, taking a large bite out of a pumpkin pasty._

_Ron had taken out a lumpy package and unwrapped it. There were four sandwiches inside. He pulled one of them apart and said, "She always forgets that I don't like corned beef."_

"_Swap you for one of these," said Harry, holding up a pasty. "Go on—"_

"_You don't want this, it's all dry," said Ron. "She hasn't got much time," he added quickly, "you know, with five of us."_

"_Go on, have a pasty," said Harry, who had never had anything to share before or, indeed, anyone to share it with. It was a nice feeling, sitting there with Ron, eating their way through all Harry's pasties, cakes, and candies (the sandwiches lay forgotten)._

_**And may you never love in vain**_

"That's a good one, Lils," commented James.

"Of course it is," said Lily, "I thought of it."

James chuckled at her statement. Then, he leaned in and kissed her again with baby Harry looking happily up at the both of them. James sighed serenely as they broke apart.

"I love you," he told his wife sincerely.

"I love you too, James," she said to him.

"And you," James said, pointing his finger playfully at his son's chest. "You will find yourself a great girl, won't you? She'll be beautiful, of course, like your Mum. And she'll be strong, and kind, and brave…and you will love her with all your heart, because I tell you, my boy, it is the only way to love a girl…."

"And she will love him just as much, too," reminded Lily.

"Of course," said James fervently, "who wouldn't love our boy?"

*

"_I didn't know what would be useful. Nothing too big, because you wouldn't be able to take it with you."_

_He chanced a glanced at her. She was not tearful; that was one of the many wonderful things about Ginny, she was rarely weepy. He had sometimes thought that having six brothers must have toughened her up._

_She took a step closer to him._

"_So then I thought, I'd like you to have something to remember me by, you know, if you meet some vela when you're off doing whatever you're doing."_

"_I think dating opportunities are going to be pretty thin on the ground, to be honest."_

"_There's the silver lining I've been looking for," she whispered, and then she was kissing him as she had never kissed him before, and Harry was kissing her back, and it was blissful oblivion, better than firewhisky; she was the only real thing in the world, Ginny, the feel of her, one hand at her back and one in her long, sweet smelling hair—_

_**And in my heart you will remain**_

_**Forever young**_

"But no matter what happens," continued Lily, "even when you've married her, and you'll have children and grandchildren—"

Lily paused and gave Harry butterfly kisses so that he couldn't stop giggling. James continued for her.

"You'll always be our little boy."

_**And when you finally fly away**_

_**I'll be hoping that I served you well**_

_**For all the wisdom of a lifetime**_

_**No one can ever tell**_

_**But whatever road you choose**_

_**I'm right behind you, win or lose**_

"And wherever you go," said Lily, "we will always be there with you."

"No matter where we are," said James, "we will always be there for you. We will always look after you."

"We will always love you."

"Always."

*

_James was exactly the same height as Harry. He was wearing the clothes in which he had died, and his hair was untidy and ruffled, and his glasses were a little lopsided, like Mr. Weasley's._

…

_Lily's smile was widest of all. She pushed her long hair back as she drew close to him, and her green eyes, so like his, searched his face hungrily, as though she would never be able to look at him enough._

"_You've been so brave."_

_He could not speak. His eyes feasted on her, and he thought that he would like to stand and look at her forever, and that would be enough._

"_You are nearly there," said James. "Very close. We are…so proud of you."_

…

_A chilly breeze that seemed to emanate from the heart of the forest lifted the hair at Harry's brow. He knew that they would not tell him to go, that it would have to be his decision._

"_You'll stay with me?"_

"_Until the very end," said James._

…

_Harry looked at his mother._

"_Stay close to me," he said quietly._

_**Forever young**_

**----------------------**

**AN:** It is really hard to find a scene that corresponds with _"may sunshine and happiness surround you when you're far from home_". In the end, I decided to get something from the earlier books because they have a lighter tone. I picked the one in this fic because it not only includes Ron and Hermione, it also includes Ginny and Fred & George. I would have liked to have a scene that also includes Neville, Luna, Hagrid, Lupin, Sirius, and maybe the rest of the Weasleys--but we all know that scene doesn't exist..

Please tell me what you guys think. And if there's a scene you could think of that you think would go better with a particular verse, put it in your review.. :D

I know this fic isn't very original (lots of scenes from the books), but I wasn't intending it to be. I meant it to be a sort of tribute to Harry, who, even if he's the Head of the Aurors now, will always be the young boy we've come to know and love.

And one last: I hope the 'format' of the fic is understandable...


	4. For You

**AN:** I've also posted this fic in my 'These are the Moments' work, which is a collection of H/G one-shots. Yes, this is H/G.

Please Review. :D

---------

**For You**

Harry crept slowly down the Burrow's staircase, making sure to avoid the creaking steps so as not to wake the house's sleeping occupants. He paused outside a door, hesitating before pushing his hand through his Invisibility Cloak to grip the knob. Cautiously, he twisted the doorknob. It wasn't locked. He wavered for another moment, then slowly, he pushed the door open.

Ginny lay sleeping on her bed, moonlight illuminating her beautiful face. She was frowning slightly. Even in dreams, peace was a foreign concept, and Harry felt a cold hand grip his heart. He glanced at Hermione to make sure she was sleeping before silently making his way towards Ginny.

Harry sat on the floor, observing the red-headed girl. Her face was turned towards him, a lock of hair straying over it. His eyes travelled from her red hair, to her closed eyes, her freckled nose, her soft lips, and to her neck, her skin a milky white. The rest of her was covered in a blanket but he could see her shape just under it, see her chest rising and falling as she breathed.

He didn't know what he was doing there, sitting on the floor in front of her in the middle of the night. He was ready. He was prepared to do anything and everything, no matter what the cost. He had let go of everything that was dear to him—Quidditch, Hogwarts, his adopted family, his friends, his future. He would have let go of Ron and Hermione too, if they hadn't insisted, firmly, that they will go with him. They gave him no choice, but she did. He knew it was for the best but—

_I can't let you go_. The cold hand tightened its grip around his heart and he felt a stinging around his eyes. _I can't let you go. I want to let you go. I have to let you go. I can't put you in danger. I've made up my mind_—

_What am I doing here? I know I did the right thing._

It had taken him ages to finally decide to break up with her. He had kept going back and forth, weighing things in his head. But in the end, he had decided that he could not, _would not_, sacrifice her safety for his comfort.

_But I can't let you go._

*

He watched her sleeping peacefully, and he thought of everything they'd been through. When he looked back on it, he realized that he had already loved her then. But he never admitted it at the time, never thought of it, never even considered it. It was a secret to everyone, including himself. He supposed that he was scared to admit it. Not because of what he felt, but because of what it meant, what it could cause. His connection with Riddle's mind was too open, and he could not risk the bastard finding out about it. But then again, if Riddle had known, maybe the bastard would not have done anything about it. Riddle had a very little understanding of love. But he was glad that he never had to find out just how much Riddle understood.

Riddle. The Chamber. It seemed like fate. She fell for him. And she had to be the one he fell for. Fate was cruel. All she did was love him. He did not want her to suffer. Back then, he had wished that he had fallen for another girl. It was foolish, if it was another girl, he would still feel for the other girl. But that was even more foolish. He could not _fathom_ ever falling for someone else.

*

Ginny shifted slightly on the bed. Harry sat alert and made sure that he was completely covered with the Cloak, but she had not woken.

_Maybe…maybe I don't have to let you go. You can come with us. We'll be together. I'll keep you safe. Snape and Malfoy already know about us. They'll tell him. You'll be safer with me._

He wished that she would wake up and see him there. He wished he could take off his Cloak and take her in his arms. He wondered if she knew, if his presence somehow made its way into her dreams. He wanted her to know that he was right there, in front of her.

_Beside you_.

There was only one place he ever wanted to be, and that was right beside her. With her, he could not ask for anything more.

_But I can't be with you. I'm the only one who can do it. I have to do it. And I can't take you with me. I can't risk your life. This—I have been marked. I can't involve you. I don't want to involve you. I have to let you go. I don't want to put you in danger. I'm only doing this for you._

*

The sun started to rise above the horizon, signifying the start of another day. Another day to be grateful for. Another day with her. There had been a time when he thought that he would not live to see this day. He was the 'Boy Who Lived', the 'Chosen One', and everyone looked at him like some kind of miracle. To the other side, he was 'Undesirable Number One', to everyone else, he was their salvation. It was a burden too heavy to carry for an adult. He carried it because he had to. They saw him as a hero. Some, if not most, still do. But he was only a boy, and even though he did it because no one else can, he also did it for her. The kiss she had given him had been one of the things that kept him going. He had many reasons for coming back. She was one of them. Her kiss reminded him that he still had a lot to live for.

*

A cloud shifted and the gibbous moon shone even brighter on Ginny's face. Harry could not help but be amazed by her beauty. It was effortless. She was beautiful inside and out. Nobody could _ever_ compare. The guy she'll end up marrying would be the luckiest guy in the world. Maybe—just maybe—if he succeeded, it could be him.

_If this ends—__when__ this ends. Once everything is over…I'll come back. I promise. I'll never leave you again. I'll never let you go. I'll do anything you want me to. I'll show you just how much you mean to me. I know you understand why I have to go. I'll do my best to come back. I promise. For you._

Ginny's hair sparkled under the moonlight. Harry wanted to touch her, to hold her, to kiss her. He wanted to feel her head against his chest, her lips against his, feel her skin. He wanted to bury his face in her hair and smell her flowery scent. He contented himself with brushing the stray lock of red hair from her face. He held on to it for a while, his disembodied hand floating almost creepily over her head. But he could not stay any longer. He had to go.

He stood up slowly, sadly. Everything felt like lead, especially his heart. Harry gave one last longing look in Ginny's direction before heading towards the doorway. His hand floated out of thin air as he twisted the doorknob.

"Harry," she called softly, sleepily.

Harry turned around and grinned at Ginny. The bright sunlight filtered through the window into their as yet undecorated bedroom. The walls were white, making the room seem even brighter. Sunlight, however, had nothing on Ginny.

She smiled back at him, her head propped on one hand. She was wearing a sleeveless cotton shirt and light-blue shorts. The sight of her…well, it floored him.

"Where are you going?" Ginny asked lightly.

"To make breakfast," replied Harry. "For you," he added with a smile.

"Breakfast can wait. Come here."

Ginny wiggled her finger at Harry in a 'come-hither' gesture. He jumped on the bed, making it creak. She laughed softly and swatted his arm playfully. She gave him a quick kiss on the lips. He wrapped her arms around her and inhaled deeply, smelling flowers.

"Are you coming to the Charity Ball next week?" asked Ginny. "There are a lot of reporters there—but I kind of like having you with me—"

"I'll come," Harry said fervently.

"Thanks," said Ginny, giving him the smile she reserved for him and for him alone. The smile that he had fought for.

Harry smiled back at her. "For you."

***

_I have set aside everything I love  
I have saved everything else for you  
I cannot decide what this doubt's made of  
Though I thought over it through and through_

In a book in a box high upon a shelf  
In a locked and guarded vault  
Are the things I keep only for myself  
It's your fate but it's not your fault

CHORUS:

_And for every useless reason I know  
There's a reason not to care  
If I hide myself wherever I go  
Am I ever really there?_

There is nowhere else I would rather be,  
but I can't just be right here  
An enigma wrapped in a mystery,  
or a fool consumed by fear

[CHORUS]

I will give you all I could ever give  
Though it's less than you will need  
Could you just forget, if you can't forgive  
All the things I cannot concede

[CHORUS]

_--------------------_

**AN:** The song is called, quite obviously, 'For You'--by Barenaked Ladies. It's a bit of a stretch.... I mean, if you read the lyrics and then read the fic, you won't see an immediate connection. At least I think you won't. I've heard this song many times before, but this fic just suddenly came to me while listening to the song this morning. So, oh well. When the muse visits, better do her bidding.

I know that the last two parts don't have a 'scene break' (*) in between them. I did that on purpose. I hope you got confused... :D


	5. For You to Notice

**For You to Notice**

**----------------------**

Repost from another penname.

'For You to Notice', in my opinion, is one of Dashboard Confessional's most romantic songs. When I first heard this song, I immediately thought of Harry and Ginny. I think it fits them perfectly, especially on Ginny's part...

Anyway, this fic is about Harry and Ginny's journey from being mere acquaintances, to being friends, and to finally getting together. The scenes are missing moments and alternate POV's from OotP and HBP.

**----------------------**

_**I'm starting to fashion an idea in my head**_

Hermione was right. When Ginny came to think of it, Hermione had never really been wrong. The girl seemed to understand everything, including silly little crushes. And it was time for Ginny to stop having one on Harry Potter, the "boy-who-lived" and more importantly, the guy who saved her life. It was time to stop her pathetic little crush. She was tired of putting her elbow in the butter dish. She didn't want him to see her as his best friend's clumsy little sister who has an embarrassing infatuation on him. It was time for her to 'give up' on him, to see other boys, and to let him see who she really was.

_**Where I would impress you  
**__**With every single word I said**_

It was the summer before Ginny's fourth year. Her family had been staying in Grimmauld Place, the headquarters of the Order of the Phoenix. Today, Harry was coming.

Ginny sat on her bed in the room she had been sharing with Hermione. Ron and Hermione were in the room he was staying in. Ginny did not want to sit with them while they waited for Harry to arrive. The two of them had been quite nervous, thinking that Harry would be mad at them for not telling him anything. Ginny was nervous too, but for a completely different reason. And she didn't want anyone to see that.

Presently, Ginny heard Hermione scream. Harry must have arrived already. Ginny felt her heart beat two times faster. She fidgeted in her seat, then stood up and walked back and forth. Then she heard Harry's voice getting louder. In spite of herself, she grinned at the thought of Ron and Hermione's expression. The image somehow gave her courage, and she headed purposefully to Ron's room.

When Ginny arrived at the door of Ron's room, however, her Gryffindor bravery seemed to have diminished. She stood outside, staring at the door. Her head was buzzing and she couldn't hear the trio's conversation. The she heard Hermione scream again.

_Fred and George,_ thought Ginny. She snorted and listened to the conversation in the room.

"Time is Galleons, little brother," she heard Fred say.

Ginny chuckled and shook her head. The twins always cracked her up. Finding that she had regained her courage, Ginny breathed deeply, put on a smile, and opened the door.

"Oh hello, Harry!" she said brightly. "I thought I heard your voice."

_Okay, so far so good,_ she thought.

Turning to Fred and George, she said, "It's no go with the Extendable Ears, she's gone and put an Imperturbable Charm on the kitchen door."

"How'd you know?" said George, looking crestfallen.

"Tonks told me how to find out," said Ginny. "You just chuck stuff at the door and if it can't make contact the door's been Imperturbed. I've been flicking Dungbombs at it from the top of the stairs and they just bounce away from it, so there's no way the Extendable Ears will be able to get under the gap."

Ginny chanced a glance at Harry. That ought to show him. He has always liked Fred and George's antics. Maybe what she did would impress him. After all, it had taken a lot of resourcefulness and creativity to think of throwing Dungbombs at the door. Ginny patted herself on the back for that, but more importantly, for not acting like a clumsy fool around him.

_**Would come out insightful or brave or smooth or charming  
**__**And you'd want to call me**_

Ginny lay on her bed, her eyes on the canopy of her four-poster and grinning from ear to ear. They just had their first D.A. meeting in the Room of Requirement.

_Dumbledore's Army,_ she thought.

She had been the one to name it. And she grinned even more as she remembered the laugh she got from Harry after suggesting the name. She had been making him laugh from time to time too. There was that first meeting at the Hog's Head when she imitated Umbridge. Harry had laughed at that. It wasn't only about Harry laughing at her comments either. There was that time when she was defending Luna, and Harry, who had happened to walk by, smiled proudly at her. And just the other day, she had shut Zacharias Smith up and Harry had given her a thumbs-up. Over all, she was gaining a lot of progress. And someday he'll see her as his friend and not just his best friend's little sister….

_**And I would be there every time you need me  
**__**I'd be there every time**_

Ginny walked towards the library, carrying the box of chocolate eggs her mum had just sent. When she had received the box just after practice, she really wanted to kill Umbridge-the-toad. Her mum had painstakingly wrapped the box for them and that toad and her minions just went and mutilated it! Someday, she will give that toad a piece of her mind, and probably her Bat-Bogey Hex too.

Ginny's second reaction was of course, to open the box. There were chocolates for her, Ron, the twins, and Harry and Hermione too. Ron was taking Jack Sloper to the hospital wing and she was sure Hermione wouldn't want to be disturbed from her OWL review. As for Fred and George, they were probably pranking some younger students and she didn't want to be involved. So she decided to go to Harry. She guessed that he must be in the library, like most fifth year students. Harry had seemed quite depressed lately and she thought that some chocolate might cheer him up. Ginny found him sitting alone on a table, staring blankly at his books.

"Harry," said Ginny. No response. "Harry," she said again, louder this time. Still no response.

"Harry, I'm talking to you, can you hear me?" she said louder again, trying to hide the annoyance in her voice.

"Huh?" was his reply, looking around at her. Ginny wanted to kick him then, but she controlled herself.

"Oh hi," said Harry. "How come you're not at practice?"

"It's over. Ron had to take Jack Sloper up to the hospital wing."

"Why?"

"Well, we're not sure, but we _think_ he knocked himself out with his own bat." Ginny sighed, trying to shake away the thought of her less than adept teammates. "Anyway… a package just arrived, it's only just got through Umbridge's screening process…."

Ginny showed Harry the mutilated box.

"It's Easter eggs from Mum. There's one for you…. There you go…."

She handed him a chocolate. Somehow, he looked even more dejected.

"Are you okay, Harry?" she asked him.

"Yeah, I'm fine," said Harry. Ginny didn't believe him.

"You seem really down lately," Ginny persisted. Part of her didn't want to say what she was going to say next. But over the course of the year, she found that she had been quite unfair to Harry. That silly little crush on him was hardly a 'thank you' for saving her life. She was embarrassing not only herself but Harry as well. When she decided to just be herself around Harry, she had wanted him to see who she really is. But it had also shown her who he really was. He was just a boy, forced to grow up too quickly, who never had a real family, and who was too noble to run away from what was required of him. Harry didn't need her silly crush, he needed her friendship.

"You know, I'm sure if you just talked to Cho…"

"It's not Cho I want to talk to."

"Who is it then?" asked Ginny. She was not proud of it, but she felt hope starting to bubble inside her.

"I… I wish I could talk to Sirius. But I know I can't."

"Well," said Ginny, "if you really want to talk to Sirius, I expect we could think of a way to do it…."

"Come on. With Umbridge policing the fires and reading all our mail?"

"The thing about growing up with Fred and George is that you sort of start thinking that anything's possible if you've got enough nerve."

Harry looked at Ginny. She saw the depressed expression he had been carrying for a week slowly being replaced by that of hope.

"WHAT DO YOU THINK YOU ARE DOING?"

"Oh damn," whispered Ginny, jumping to her feet. "I forgot—"

Madam Pince was swooping down upon them, her shriveled face contorted with rage.

"_Chocolate in the library!_" she screamed. "Out—_out_—OUT!"

Harry and Ginny ran out of the library, chased and whacked by Harry's books, bag, and ink bottle. They stopped just outside of the library, gasping for air. Harry laughed silently and then, unable to control himself, he boomed into a genuine, mirthful laughter that Ginny hadn't heard for quite a while. She laughed with him too, glad that even for a moment, she was able to make him forget about his problems, though when she came to think of it, they had Madam Pince to be grateful to.

They walked in comfortable, lighthearted silence to Gryffindor tower. When they reached the common room, Harry turned to Ginny.

"Ginny, thank you. I…" he paused, trying to think of a way to express his gratitude. He seemed to be unable to find his words. "Thanks," he said sincerely.

Ginny grinned at him. Harry smiled back at her before climbing up the boys' staircase. Ginny stood on the spot, feeling somewhat triumphant. She heard someone cough. Ginny turned to see Hermione, her eyebrows raised and her eyes twinkling. She smiled teasingly at Ginny.

"Oh, shut up," said Ginny. She sat beside Hermione. "Mum's sent us chocolates…. Don't worry, yours isn't small this time," she added teasingly.

_**But for now I'll look so longingly, waiting**_

Ginny sat on a bench in the courtyard with her friends. Katie Bell had just passed by and waved at Ginny, prompting them to start talking about the upcoming Quidditch match between Slytherin and Hufflepuff.

"I hope Montague doesn't recover before next Saturday," Colin was saying. "If Slytherin loses to Hufflepuff, they won't be too ahead of us in points. We might have a chance at the Cup."

"I don't know," said Anne. "I mean, I'm not too sure if we can count on Hufflepuff beating Slytherin."

"Slytherin's not as good as they brag themselves to be," said Ginny. "They only win matches because they don't play fair. And with their captain gone, they might not be able to organize their foul tricks."

Her friends laughed. It was an inside joke among them that one Slytherin was too stupid to think of a simple trick by himself.

"I would just _love_ to see Slytherin beaten by Hufflepuff," said Sarah, another one of Ginny's friends. "They underestimate them, you know, as if _they're_ so good themselves. It's like you said, all they've got are their foul plays."

"If Hufflepuff beats Slytherin, does that mean we play Ravenclaw?"

"Depends on the points," said Ginny. "But hopefully, yeah. Ravenclaw's got the best team this year, but I'd rather play them over Slytherin. They're always good sports and not one of them has a head as big as Malfoy's."

Colin snorted.

"Hey there's Chang," said Sarah, pointing at Cho, who was passing the courtyard.

As though by reflex, Ginny turned to look at Harry, whom she knew was sitting with Ron and Hermione some distance away. He looked at Cho distractedly. Cho seemed determined not to look at him.

Ginny let her eyes linger on Harry for a while. She sighed inwardly. Harry was so taken by Cho. Despite the fact that they had fought over Marietta, and even though she knew that Harry was still a bit mad at Cho, Ginny could see that Harry still liked her. Despite herself, Ginny felt her heart breaking. There were times when she wished she had been herself around Harry from the very start. Then maybe he might have noticed her before Cho even came to the picture. Now was one of those times. Ginny looked at Harry again. He still seemed a bit distracted. She sighed again before turning back to the conversation with her friends.

At least now she was not a making a fool of herself around Harry. Hermione had told her that there are other boys. And she's still dating Michael, for Merlin's sakes…. Still, Ginny couldn't quite stop herself from hoping.

Maybe someday….

_**For you to want me,  
**__**For you to need me,  
**__**For you to notice me**_

*****

_**I'm starting to fashion an idea in my head**_

Her brothers were right: Ginny was moving through boyfriends a bit too fast. Just a few months ago, she was dating Michael Corner. He couldn't complain about her dumping the git, of course. Michael Corner didn't deserve her. But then, without a word of warning, she was dating Dean! When did that happen?

_When you were too busy saving the world,_ a voice in his head told him.

"Fuck," he said loudly. He wasn't nearly as inclined to profanity as Ron was, but he felt that his situation deserved it. Besides, his head hurt.

He was alone in the common room, finishing his Defense Against the Dark Arts homework. Everyone else had gone up to their dormitories. He frowned so darkly at his parchment that had it been animate, it definitely would have run away in terror. He had barely written more than a paragraph. For the first time in their life at Hogwarts, Ron had finished before him, even without Hermione's help. He cursed Snape.

But it wasn't really Snape that got him so ticked off. Unable to stop himself, he recalled the scene when he and Ron walked in on Dean and her. If possible, his frown deepened so that his eyebrows were practically touching each other. He cursed again. The he kicked the table in front of him, then cursed again. But that particular memory wasn't what got him all ticked off either.

No, it was this day. Out of all his experiences with the Dursleys, his run-ins with the Slytherins, and his encounters with Voldemort, this day was by far the worst day of his life. He crumpled his parchment as he remembered what happened earlier….

_Harry and Hermione sat eating lunch on the Gryffindor table in the Great Hall. Ron was several seats away, his face hidden by Lavender's head. Hermione was grunting and tutting, and Harry tried to ignore her. He was about to open his mouth to ask Hermione if she could possibly be quiet when he saw Ginny walking towards them._

_He straightened up, putting his hand on the table a bit too quickly and hitting his spoon, which was balancing on his plate. This caused the spoon to flip and he saw, as though in slow motion, the contents of his spoon fly out and hit Neville's arm._

"_Oh my god, Neville, I'm so sorry," said Harry, hastily wiping his food from Neville's arm._

_Neville pulled his arm away, looking at Harry as though Harry had gone mad. He wiped the rest of the food from his arm himself._

"_It's fine Harry," said Neville._

"_I'm really sorry," said Harry._

_Neville opened his mouth, but Harry never got to hear what he was going to say because Ginny chose that moment to say hi. Harry jumped up from his seat, accidentally knocking over the pumpkin juice. Neville quickly stood up to prevent the juice from wetting him._

"_Damn," muttered Harry._

_Hermione silently siphoned off the juice with an amused look on her face._

_Ginny didn't seem to notice, or chose to ignore, what had just happened. "There's the idiot I have the misfortune to call my brother," she said, looking disapprovingly at Ron and Lavender._

_Harry opened his mouth to say something funny, then realized he had no idea what to say at all. Instead, what came out from his mouth sounded like a cross between Gobbledygook and Trollish. Ginny looked curiously at him._

"_Well, see you guys later then," she said, walking away._

_Harry sat back on his seat and hung his head. Hermione looked at him with a teasing expression._

"_What?" asked Harry, sounding annoyed._

"_Nothing," she said casually, though her expression didn't change._

_Harry thought to say, "__Well, you aren't doing too well with Ron either"__, but thought better of it._

_He sighed. He had just said something that was completely nonsensical to Ginny. His eyes sought her and he found her just in time as she gave Dean a 'hello' kiss. Why did he have to choose that moment to look? He sighed again and turned to face front. The expression on Hermione's face changed to one bordering on pity. He realized he preferred the smug look._

_Unable to stop himself, Harry looked towards Ginny again. She was talking animatedly with Dean. Harry's heart sank. He stood up and walked away, telling Hermione that he was going to start on his Defense Against the Dark Arts essay._

Harry had thought then that the day couldn't possibly get worse. How very wrong he was.

That evening, he was sitting quietly in the common room, minding his own business, when Ginny and Dean emerged from the portrait hole, walking hand in hand.

"_Hey, Harry," greeted Ginny brightly._

"_Hi," said Harry, with far less enthusiasm._

_Ginny and Dean, still hand in hand, headed towards an unoccupied couch. Harry slumped in his own couch. Ron was off with Lavender and Hermione was probably in the library. Harry had nothing to distract himself from Ginny and Dean._

_It wasn't that they were acting like Ron and Lavender. They weren't even kissing at all. They were talking happily, their hands still intertwined. Their legs were touching and every now and then, Dean would reach out to tuck a lock of Ginny's hair that kept straying to her face._

_Now he understood why Ron tore away the arms of that action-figure-Krum. Harry wanted to strangle Dean, beat him to pulp, push his head to the ground, tear him limb from limb…._

_When Ron arrived with Lavender from Merlin knows where, he headed towards Harry and started with his Defense essay. Even with Ron around and talking to him, Harry still couldn't quite stop himself from looking in Ginny and Dean's direction. When Ron announced that he had finished his homework and headed off to bed, Harry wasn't even a quarter of a way into his own essay._

_To his dismay, Ginny and Dean were the last ones to leave the common room. Harry determinedly stared at his parchment as he knew all too well that they were kissing good night._

"'_Night, Harry," said Ginny._

"'_Night," he said weakly. His gaze followed her as she disappeared into the girls' dormitories. Then he purposefully banged his head on the table, hoping it would alleviate what he was feeling. Instead, it seemed to worsen everything._

So there he was, with his unfinished Defense essay, which he had just crumpled, and his head hurting, cursing every few minutes and trying not to remember all the things that made him angry in the first place. Every time he remembered the incident at lunch time, he alternated between embarrassment and anger at himself. He was feeling rather pathetic. Why did she affect him so much?

_Because you like her,_ said the voice in his head.

He knew that. But Ron and Hermione liked each other and they don't fall apart around each other.

_Yeah, they just bicker nonstop and make each other jealous._

Still, he should stop being a clumsy fool around Ginny. Harry breathed deeply. From now on, he will stop knocking pumpkin juices around her. He will not blush when she smiles at him. He will not cringe when she touches him. He will stop thinking murderous thoughts towards Dean every time he sees them together… well, maybe not that.

_**Where I would impress you  
**__**With every single word I said**_

Harry lay on his camp bed in Ron's attic bedroom, smiling contentedly at the ceiling. Ron was snoring loudly and the ghoul seemed to have decided that it was the right moment to throw things around. Ron muttered in his sleep. Harry wasn't bothered, however. He was happily recalling events that he was sure he would remember until the day he died. He grinned wider as he remembered what happened that morning.

Ginny had taken it to herself to decorate the Burrow's living room. She had been decorating it for the second day now and it was obvious to everyone what was going to be the result of her decoration. Her decorations were so lavish that it was rather like sitting in a paper chain explosion. The decorations seemed too lavish to Ron's liking and he started complaining about it. Ginny had turned an angry red. Harry quickly said that he liked the decoration. He had not said that to placate Ginny. He wanted to compliment her and let her know that he liked her decorations. He also said that to get her approval. And then she had smiled at him. That beautiful smile. The memory of her expression made Harry's stomach do a flip-flop. He fluffed his pillow and smiled into it.

There was also that time when they were talking about the British and Irish Quidditch league. The discussion had turned to their favorite teams and Ron and Ginny started arguing about the Harpies. Ron said something about that Harpies that angered Ginny. Harry didn't agree with what Ron was saying either, and he told him that. He had not said that to get on Ginny's good side. But it had impressed her and she said a playful 'thank you' to him and smiled brightly.

How he loved that smile. And it was him who had made her smile. He sighed happily. He loved making her smile….

_**Would come out insightful or brave or smooth or charming  
**__**And you'd want to call me**_

"What did Scrimgeour want from you?" Ginny asked Harry.

It was the day after Christmas and Harry, Ron, and Ginny were sitting lazily in the living room, playing a game of Exploding Snap.

"Oh, he just wanted me to be the Ministry's poster boy," replied Harry.

"What?" said Ron.

"He wants me to 'pop' around the Ministry from time to time," said Harry. "He wants to make the people believe that the 'Chosen One' is working with them. He even said I can talk to the head of the Auror office and, you know, discuss my dreams as an Auror. He says Umbridge told him I wanted to be an Auror."

"That toad!" said Ron. "I bet she said it like you were chums or something."

"So what did you say?" asked Ginny.

"I refused, of course," said Harry. "I told him that he's making Stan a scapegoat," at this, Ginny's eyes widened in what Harry hoped to be admiration, so he went on, "and I also reminded him about all the things the Ministry's done. And then he started asking about Dumbledore."

"And what did he say?" asked Ginny.

"He said that I was 'Dumbledore's man through and through'," said Harry, looking at Ginny. He had forgotten that Ron was around. He was never one to brag or talk about the things he said or did. But somehow, he couldn't quite stop himself from trying to impress Ginny. He once pulled a Wronski Feint during one of their Quidditch practices when he was sure that she was looking. He never got half as bad as his father of course, but there were times when he just couldn't stop himself.

"And I told him that I am," Harry continued.

"That's very noble of you Harry," said Ginny sincerely. Harry felt his heart soar.

_**And I would be there every time you need me  
**__**I'd be there every time**_

Harry sat on his bed, his brow furrowed, thinking about what happened that day. Ron had been poisoned and thankfully, Harry was able to give him a bezoar. He tried not to think of what might have happened if he hadn't been able to find a bezoar in the room. Ron was in the hospital wing and his family was with him. Neville, Dean, and Seamus were sleeping. Harry just went up in the dormitory because McLaggen was bothering him in the common room, but the events of the day made sure that he wouldn't be able to fall asleep anytime soon. Think as he might, and though he had discussed extensively with Hermione, Ginny, the twins, and even Hagrid, he still couldn't come up with a good explanation of why Ron was poisoned. And then there was the news that Dumbledore got angry with Snape. Rubbing his head, Harry sighed and got out of his bed. He headed back to the common room.

When he was on the bottommost step of the stairs, he saw Ginny sitting in front of the fire, staring at it. He walked towards her. Ginny heard him and turned her head towards him. Something seemed to be bothering her deeply.

"Are you alright?" Harry asked her. He took a seat beside her.

"Yeah, just thinking…." said Ginny.

Harry gave her a look that was half questioning, half worried.

"I'm fine, Harry." She didn't sound fine at all.

"Don't worry about Ron, he'll be all right," said Harry. "Hermione might even talk to him again now," he added, trying to cheer her up.

Ginny smiled halfheartedly at him. "I know," said Ginny. And Harry realized it wasn't Ron that was bothering her. She looked back into the fire.

Harry imitated her and stared at the dying embers. Harry really wanted to cheer Ginny up. Whatever Ginny was feeling, it wasn't good and it caused a tightening in his chest. He looked up at her, studying her.

"Thank you, Harry," said Ginny. "For everything." Harry gazed attentively at her, waiting for her to continue. "Mum was right, you know. You've saved Dad, you've save Ron, you've saved me…. You know, I don't think I've ever thanked you for that."

"Ginny…" began Harry, but he didn't know how to continue. He now realized that she was probably remembering her first year. He wished he knew what to say to make her feel better. He wanted to hug her.

"I know," said Ginny. "It's really selfish to be thinking of what had happened to me. I mean, I try not to, but I just can't stop myself sometimes, you know. And I—"

"Ginny, it's not selfish," said Harry. He opened his mouth, and then clamped it shut. He really couldn't think of anything to say to her. Someday, he would make Voldemort pay, and not just for what he did to Ginny.

Giving in to impulse, Harry wrapped his arms around her. It was a warm, friendly, 'I'll be here for you' hug and at that moment, he realized that although he couldn't think of anything to say to make her feel better, he could always sit there with her until she was alright again.

Harry and Ginny broke apart after a moment. Ginny smiled gratefully at him before turning back to the fire. They sat there in comfortable silence, and Harry realized that he had stopped thinking about Ron's poisoning, Slughorn's wine, and Dumbledore and Snape's argument. After a while, Ginny got up.

"I think I'm going to bed," said Ginny. She looked at Harry. "Thanks a lot, Harry," she said sincerely.

Harry smiled at her. She smiled back before heading towards the girls' dormitories. Harry leaned peacefully in his seat and sighed contentedly.

_**But for now I'll look so longingly, waiting**_

Harry sat with Hermione in the common room during their break time. Hermione had forced him and Ron to start on their Charms homework, especially since Ron had just gotten out of the hospital wing. Ron, however, was nowhere to be seen. They suspected that he was up in the boys' dormitories, hiding from Lavender, who was sitting in one corner of the room with Parvati. Hermione hummed happily as she wrote her essay and Harry stopped himself from commenting on her good mood. However, he didn't stop himself from giving her a teasing smirk every time she looked up at him.

He was in the middle of one of his teasing smirks when the portrait hole opened and Ginny and Dean came in, not fighting. They were talking seriously and didn't seem to have noticed Harry and Hermione. The smirk died in Harry's mouth. Seeing this, Hermione turned around and saw Ginny and Dean. She gave Harry a knowing look, but other than that, she didn't do anything and turned quietly back to her Charms essay.

Harry looked at Ginny and Dean. They seemed to be making up. He gazed at Ginny for a while, mentally blocking the sight of Dean. There were days when it seemed that she didn't want to be with Dean anymore and it gave Harry a hopeful bubble in his stomach. Today was not one of those days. Ginny and Dean stopped talking. They seemed to have resolved their conflict. Ginny smiled at Dean, and then kissed him. Harry quickly looked away. Out of the corner of his eyes, he saw Dean stand up and head for the common room. Ginny took out her books and started studying.

Harry turned to gaze fully at her. She was so beautiful. And it hurt to know that she was going out with someone else. What he wouldn't give to be the one in Dean's place. He wanted to be the one to tuck her hair behind her ear, the one who waits for her every morning so that they'll have breakfast together, the one she shares good night kisses with….

Ginny looked up from her book and saw him. She waved, smiling brightly at him. He waved back with a wide grin. Ginny turned back to her books and Harry did the same, the grin not quite leaving his face but turning to that of resigned smile.

Harry is grateful for Ginny's friendship, he really was. He was happy that they had become quite close this year. But he wanted something more. She may be with Dean, but he was willing to wait, even for a long time.

Maybe someday….

_**For you to want me,  
**__**For you to need me,  
**__**For you to notice me**_

*

Harry and Ginny burst out of the portrait hole, holding each other's hands. They were grinning from ear to ear and their heads were buzzing. When they were out of the common room, they looked at each other and then, without warning, burst out laughing. It was a while before they were able to control their mirth. They stared into each other's eyes, grinning madly. Then they closed the gap between them and sank into their second, more private kiss….

_**For you to want me, for you to need me, for you to notice**_


End file.
